Why is a book resting on a table in a state of equilibrium?
The book and the table both have acceleration (due to gravity) of 9.8 m/s/s.
The book’s weight and the upward force the table exerts on the book have equal magnitude but opposing directions.
Gravity is a net force acting on the book in a downward direction
The book and the table have the same weight.
The statement "The book and the table both have acceleration (due to gravity) of 9.8 m/s/s" is incorrect. Both the book and the table are at rest, which means their acceleration is zero.
When a book is resting on a table, it is in a state of equilibrium because the forces acting on it are balanced. In this case, we have two forces acting on the book: its weight (the force of gravity pulling it downward) and the upward force exerted by the table.
According to Newton's third law of motion, the weight of the book and the upward force exerted by the table have equal magnitude but opposite directions. This means that the force of gravity pulling the book downward is balanced by the upward force exerted by the table. As a result, there is no unbalanced force acting on the book, and it remains in a state of equilibrium, or at rest.
Additionally, it is correct that the book and the table have the same weight. The weight of an object is the force of gravity acting on it and is determined by its mass and the acceleration due to gravity. Since the book and the table are at rest on Earth's surface, they experience the same acceleration due to gravity. Therefore, their weights are equal.
A book resting on a table is in a state of equilibrium because there are balanced forces acting on it. In order to understand why, let's break down the different forces at play.
The main force acting on the book is gravity, which pulls it downwards with an acceleration of 9.8 m/s/s. This force is commonly referred to as the weight of the book.
Now, the table exerts an upward force on the book to counteract the force of gravity. This force is equal in magnitude to the weight of the book but acts in the opposite direction. The upward force exerted by the table balances out the downward force of gravity, resulting in a net force of zero.
Since there is no net force acting on the book, according to Newton's first law of motion, the book remains in a state of equilibrium and remains at rest on the table.
It is important to note that in this case, the weight of the book is equal to the force of gravity acting on it. Weight is a force equal to the mass of an object multiplied by the acceleration due to gravity. In this situation, both the book and the table have the same acceleration due to gravity, so their weights are equal.
In summary, a book resting on a table is in a state of equilibrium because the upward force exerted by the table balances the downward force of gravity, resulting in a net force of zero.
The state of equilibrium means that the book is not experiencing any changes in its motion or position. In this case, a book resting on a table is in a state of equilibrium due to several factors:
Firstly, the book and the table both have acceleration (due to gravity) of 9.8 m/s/s. This means that they are subject to the same gravitational force, and the acceleration caused by this force is equal for both objects.
Secondly, the book's weight (the force of gravity acting on it) and the upward force exerted by the table have equal magnitude but opposite directions. The weight of the book pulls it downward, while the table exerts an equal but opposite force, pushing upward on the book.
The fact that the book and the table have the same weight is crucial in maintaining equilibrium. The weight is a force due to gravity acting on an object, and in this case, it is the force pulling the book downward. Since the book and the table have the same weight, the upward force from the table cancels out the downward force of gravity, resulting in a state of equilibrium.
Therefore, the combination of the book's weight being balanced by the upward force from the table, along with the equal acceleration due to gravity for both objects, ensures that the book remains in a state of equilibrium while resting on the table.